Tara Yoga

Yoga For Beginners Guide

Meditation is one of five principles of yoga and this exercise is about the constant observation of the mind, it requires that you are able to focus your mind on one thing and keep it there without wandering off. The benefits of meditation are many, by meditating on a daily basis as part of your yoga routine you will benefit from a stronger sense of will, improved concentration, a clearer and more focused kind and will find that you are able to relax quicker and easier.

Meditation is all about focusing the mind on one subject and stopping it from wandering off; this however is easier said then done. It might be easy at first to clear the mind of thoughts but after a few minutes it can quite easily wander off to thoughts of what you’re cooking for dinner tonight, what you’re going to wear for that party you’re attending or any other daily event. There is however a few things you can do to prepare yourself for meditation:

• Find somewhere quiet where you won’t easily be disturbed.
• Turn off any background noise such as the TV or radio.
• Take the telephone off the hook while meditating.
• Make sure the clothes you are wearing are comfortable .
• Go to the bathroom before you start to mediate and empty your bladder.
• Do some warm up exercises or breathing exercises.
• Breathe deeply in and out and clear your mind.

Now that you are settled with no distractions and are relaxed you can begin your meditation session, with your mind clear of thoughts you now have to make sure those thoughts don’t come back it might be easier at first if you use an object to focus your mind on such as a candle. Focus on the flame and watch intently how it moves and flickers imagine putting your fingertip near to the flame and feeling the heat from it.

Meditation is difficult to master and at first you will find that your mind wanders away from the subject when this happens just bring the mind back to focusing on the chosen object and don’t worry about it. The more you practice the easier you will it becomes to empty your mind and focus and leave your daily troubles aside for the time you are meditating.

The benefits of meditation

There are numerous physical and mental benefits to meditation when practiced as part of your daily yoga routine.

• You get less anxious and depressed.
• Less irritable and moody.
• Increased memory and concentration.
• Increased self awareness.
• An increased sense of overall happiness.
• You are more creative.
• An increase in emotional stability.
• Higher resistance to skin diseases.
• Blood pressure normalises.
• Cholesterol levels drop.
• Improved flow of air to the lungs.
• A decrease in the aging process.